City of ChicagoRichard M. Daley, Mayor

Congress Parkway improvement projectMichigan Avenue to Wells Street

•• Starting in 2010, CDOT plans Starting in 2010, CDOT plans to upgrade and improve to upgrade and improve Congress Parkway from Congress Parkway from Michigan Avenue to Wells Michigan Avenue to Wells StreetStreet

•• Plans in works since 2005. Plans in works since 2005. •• Project received federal Project received federal

stimulusstimulus--program funding program funding ($9 million) in 2009($9 million) in 2009

•• Total estimated construction Total estimated construction cost: $10 million to $20 cost: $10 million to $20 million (project to be bid in million (project to be bid in Spring 2010)Spring 2010)

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Congress Parkway, looking east

History/backgroundHistory/background•• Congress Parkway was widened and Congress Parkway was widened and

extended in the 1940s to extended in the 1940s to accommodate the high volume of accommodate the high volume of vehicular traffic from the newly vehicular traffic from the newly constructed expressway system to the constructed expressway system to the office buildings in the Loop and the office buildings in the Loop and the warehouses in the South Loop warehouses in the South Loop

•• Since then, corridor has remained Since then, corridor has remained mostly unchangedmostly unchanged

•• Recently, the area surrounding Recently, the area surrounding Congress Parkway has been one of the Congress Parkway has been one of the fastest growing employment, fastest growing employment, residential, higher educational and residential, higher educational and commercial areas in the City.commercial areas in the City.

•• These changes have altered the travel These changes have altered the travel patterns and significantly increased patterns and significantly increased the amount of pedestrian and the amount of pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the areavehicular traffic in the area

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Congress Parkway construction, 1920s

Project goalsProject goals•• Improve pedestrian and cyclist mobility and safetyImprove pedestrian and cyclist mobility and safety

•• Accommodate and improve conditions for the 63,000 vehicles per Accommodate and improve conditions for the 63,000 vehicles per day that need to pass safely and efficiently through this corridday that need to pass safely and efficiently through this corridoror

•• Beautify and create a worldBeautify and create a world--class gateway into the City.class gateway into the City.

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Project scopeProject scope•• Realign roadway to eliminate weaving Realign roadway to eliminate weaving

laneslanes

•• Narrow and reduce lanes to provide Narrow and reduce lanes to provide wider sidewalks to accommodate wider sidewalks to accommodate heavier pedestrian traffic and heavier pedestrian traffic and landscape improvements, and decrease landscape improvements, and decrease the crossing distance of intersectionsthe crossing distance of intersections

•• Interconnect traffic signals and install Interconnect traffic signals and install countdown pedestrian timers to countdown pedestrian timers to improve the flow of vehicles and improve the flow of vehicles and pedestrians through intersectionspedestrians through intersections

•• Landscaped, irrigated medians with Landscaped, irrigated medians with pedestrian refuge areaspedestrian refuge areas

•• InIn--ground and aboveground and above--ground ground landscaped planterslandscaped planters

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Sidewalk planter with gateway element

Project scopeProject scope (continued)(continued)

•• Street furniture throughout corridorStreet furniture throughout corridor

•• Improvement of bicycle lane Improvement of bicycle lane connection across Congress Parkway connection across Congress Parkway at Plymouth Court and additional at Plymouth Court and additional bicycle parkingbicycle parking

•• A LED decorative lighting system, A LED decorative lighting system, including freestanding fixtures in the including freestanding fixtures in the median and lineal fixtures attached to median and lineal fixtures attached to decorative metal trellises and the decorative metal trellises and the viaduct walls under One Financial viaduct walls under One Financial Place Place

•• StreetStreet--level refurbishment of CTA Blue level refurbishment of CTA Blue Line station entrances.Line station entrances.

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Decorative lighting

•• Coordination of pedestrianCoordination of pedestrianamenities with the newamenities with the newLaSalle Street LaSalle Street IntermodalIntermodalCenter at Congress ParkwayCenter at Congress Parkwayand Financial Place.and Financial Place.

Project scheduleProject scheduleSpring 2010Spring 2010--Spring 2012 Spring 2012

Traffic impactsTraffic impacts•• Congress will be reduced to three lanes inbound (eastbound) and Congress will be reduced to three lanes inbound (eastbound) and

two lanes outbound (westbound) for most of the project with two lanes outbound (westbound) for most of the project with temporary, offtemporary, off--peak eastbound lane closures reducing the inbound peak eastbound lane closures reducing the inbound lanes to two lanes.lanes to two lanes.

•• This configuration aligns with the lane configuration at the ConThis configuration aligns with the lane configuration at the Congress gress Parkway bridge, which IDOT is reconstructing.Parkway bridge, which IDOT is reconstructing.

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Public outreachPublic outreachThe Congress Parkway improvement project has received The Congress Parkway improvement project has received

significant public input that has helped hone the design:significant public input that has helped hone the design:•• 2003 2003 ---- CDOT participated in a designCDOT participated in a design charrettecharrette sponsored by the sponsored by the

Friends of the DowntownFriends of the Downtown

•• 20082008

–– Task Force meetings: May 5, June 7, September 16Task Force meetings: May 5, June 7, September 16

–– Community organization meetings: Chicago Loop Alliance (June Community organization meetings: Chicago Loop Alliance (June 5); State St. Commission (June 19), Near South Planning Board 5); State St. Commission (June 19), Near South Planning Board (July 1 and July 17)(July 1 and July 17)

–– Public meeting: October 23, 2008Public meeting: October 23, 2008

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The Congress Parkway project will occur along with three other major area projects beginning in 2010 by the State of Illinois

and City of Chicago:

1. Eisenhower Expressway resurfacing—Circle interchange to Thorndale (IDOT)

2. Congress Parkway bridge over Chicago River rehabilitation (IDOT)

3. Wacker Drive reconstruction—Randolph to Congress (City of Chicago)

Why do all these projects at the same time?While tackling each project simultaneously will undoubtedly create inconvenience, it

lets us minimize the duration of the disruption. If tackled separately and sequentially, these projects would stretch construction over 10 years or more.

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For more information:

Internetwww.cityofchicago.org/transportation

E-mailcdotnews@cityofchicago.org

IDOT projects (Eisenhower resurfacing and Congress Parkway Bridge reconstruction)www.dot.state.il.us

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